A High Court in Minna, the Niger State capital, has sentenced 11 people from Anfani community in Lavun local government area of the state to death by hanging following their conviction for last year’s attack on Gaba community.
Those convicted are Mohammed Mohammed, Baba Mohammed, Mohammed Isah(AKA Madu), Abubakar Saba, Mohammed Adamu Babamini, Ibrahim Mohammed Emigi, Haruna Mohammed, Isah Baba Madu, Ndama Sheshi, Isah Mohammed and Mohammed Ndabida.
They were found guilty of all the charges brought against them, while 15 others were discharged and acquitted for lack of diligent and proper prosecution against them.
They were all arrested on October 7, 2019 and charged to court by the state Attorney General through the Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) for attacking Gaba community a neighbouring village also in Lavun local government.
Seven persons from Gaba community were allegedly killed by some group of people from Anfani in December 2018 during a crisis that broke out over the farmland and fish ponds.
The Bida High Court had on the 22nd of September, 2018 given judgement in favour of the Gaba community over a lingering farmland dispute and fish ponds belonging to it.
While delivering her judgement yesterday, the trial judge, Justice Maimuna Talatu Abubakar, held that the prosecutor had proven beyond reasonable doubt the charges against the convicted persons.
“The first to the eleven accused are found guilty as charged and they are hereby sentenced to death by hanging,” she ruled.
Justice Abubakar sentenced them to life imprisonment on another count charge and 14 years imprisonment without the option of fine in another, declaring that both jail terms shall run concurrently.
Finding the convicts guilty on culpable homicide punishable under section 221 of the penal code, which attracted the death sentence, the judge said, “They were also found guilty on count nine which carried life imprisonment and 14 years jail term for conspiracy respectively”.
She ruled that the accused persons did not deserve the clemency of the court considering the grievousness of the offence and the manner in which it was carried out.
The counsel to the accused persons, Barrister Lerry Otahagwa had pleaded with the judge to temper justice with mercy while sentencing them.
Source: Leadership News
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